“That was the problem last season – Hearts ran away so quickly and we started so poorly.

“We need to get back to basics this week in training, work really hard and hopefully get it right next Saturday. A good mentality comes from results and we didn’t get one this weekend so we need to turn things round and make sure we get one next Saturday against Morton.”

Hibs had too many players off form – particularly middle to front as they did not create enough to hurt battling Dumbarton.

Dumbarton's Gregor Buchanan gives his side and early lead against Hibs (Image: SNS Group)

They lost a poor goal in just three minutes when Gregor Buchanan poked Willie Gibson’s low free-kick into the net.

Then they failed to build on Dom Malonga’s equaliser in 14 minutes when the Dumbarton defence was caught flat-footed by Liam Fontaine’s ball forward.

And they paid the penalty when Gibson scored with a terrific free-kick 10 minutes into the second half to clinch a fabulous opening day win for new boss Stevie Aitken.

Gray said: “We obviously wanted to start the season well and we’ve not done that so it’s deeply disappointing.

He set up good chances for Scott Martin and Jason Cummings and laid it on a plate for Malonga but he missed the target.

Sons’ former Easter Road keeper Mark Brown could sense the frustration among the Hibs players and he knows the pressure is on this season because a third season out of the top flight would be so damaging.

Brown said: “I know the pressures at Hibs. It was tough for them last year because of the three teams going for promotion and now it’s probably going to be Rangers and Hibs vying for the top spot this season.

“A club such as Hibs can’t sustain what they pay for players and that type of thing with too many years out of the top league so the quicker they get back the better for them.

poll loading

Will Hibs win promotion this season?

0+ VOTES SO FAR

“But I think we showed on Saturday there will be no easy games – I don’t think it will be a case of Hibs and Rangers winning every week.

“I could sense the frustration in the Hibs players in the second half.

“We had a lead and we were trying to protect it so we got bodies behind the ball and made ourselves difficult to break down.

“They plugged away but fortunately for us we managed to keep them out.

“I’ve played in teams where you find it hard to break the opposition down and we all know that scoring a goal is the hardest thing to do in football.

“They have some great players and we knew we couldn’t give them time to play. It was great the way we chased and harried them all over the pitch.

“We got in their faces and didn’t allow them to build any tempo and that was the reason we did so well.”